Honey, Apple Crisp


Incredibly easy to throw together, this crisp makes a lovely weeknight treat. Serve it with a dollop of last week's yogurt or a spoonful of whipped cream. Serves 6-8.

1.5 lbs apples, peeled, cored and sliced (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup + 2TB honey, divided, or to taste
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
5 TB cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter an 8 square pan and set aside. Combine the apples, honey, vanilla and salt. Spread into the prepared pan. Whisk together the flour, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in the honey, and then cut in the butter until a coarse meal forms. Sprinkle over fruit topping. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the juices are bubbling, apples are tender and the top is golden brown. Serve warm.

Cream Soaked White Bread with Maple Sugar


OK, I know this is not exactly healthy fare... I found it on www.saveur.com and I couldn't pass it up. Crunchy Maple sugar, lush pillowy cream, on coarse country white bread ...mmmmm.

3/4 cup heavy cream
4 thick slices of hearty white country bread
4 tbsp. coarsely grated maple sugar

Put cream into a medium bowl, and whisk until slightly thickened. Pour 1/4 cup of the cream over each slice of bread. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. of the maple sugar over the cream. Serve immediately.





Chilled Strawberry Cream


A very simple & quick 3 ingredient recipe submitted by Ann Main to Allrecipes.com. Serves 2.

2 cups frozen unsweetened whole strawberries
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream

Place the strawberries and sugar in a blender or food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into berries. Pour into serving dishes. Refrigerate or freeze for 25 minutes.

Tip - allowing berries to thaw a bit before blending may save you time fussing with your blender.






Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler with Cornmeal Biscuit Topping


Crunchy cornmeal biscuit tops a classic strawberry and rhubarb filling.
Bon Appetit April 1996

Filling
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups strawberries, hulled, halved
2.5 cups 1/2-inch-thick slices rhubarb


Maple Walnut Pie Squares


These squares are like little hand held pieces of maple walnut pie. Yum. From the Cooking with Shelburne Farms cook book.

The crust
1.25 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts

The filling
2 TB butter
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3 TB packed light brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Preat the oven to 375 degrees F. Generously grease a 9 x 9 pan.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt. Cream together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Gradually add the flour mixture in thirds, beating to blend between additions. Mix in walnuts until just distributed. Pat crust firmly into the pan and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden.

While crust is baking, make the topping. Melt the butter, then whisk in the maple syrup, brown sugar, salt and egg. Stir in the walnuts.

Pour the hot topping over the baked crust. Return the pan to the oven for 13-15 minutes until the topping is deep brown and set. Cool completely on a rack before cutting.

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